Language-specific Insights

complete verse (3John 1:1)

Following are a number of back-translation of 3John 1:1:

Yatzachi Zapotec: “I in my old age am writing to you dear Gayo. Truly I love you.”

Eastern Highland Otomi: “I am the Old-Man Leader, I am sending this paper to you, dear Gaius, loved one. And also I love you in regards to the true Word which we (dual) believe.”

Isthmus Zapotec: “I am an old man. I am writing this letter to a friend of mine, (whose) name is Gayo, whom I truly love.”

Garifuna: “I, an elderly person, write to my friend the one named Gayo (necessary to avoid the connotation of writing to a rooster), the one whom I love. I love you with all my heart (genuine love).”

Source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.

not submit to God's righteousness

The Greek in Romans 10:3 that is translated as “do not submit to God’s righteousness” is translated as “are not willing that God should make them good the way he wants” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “do not desire that only God should make them right doing” in Central Tarahumara, and as “don’t give their hearts to have them made straight by God” in Tzeltal. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

See also submit to God.

men committing shameless acts with men

The Greek in Romans 1:27 that is translated as “men committing shameless acts with men” or similar in English is translated aw “man with man they did all filthiness without shame” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “an unclean and shameful thing they did with their bodies, men with men” in Yatzachi Zapotec, and as “they slept with their fellow men. They did that which gives shame” in Central Mazahua. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

chosen by grace

The Greek in Romans 11:5 that is translated as “chosen by grace” or similar in English is translated as “God had mercy on and chose” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “picked out to worship him because he loves them” in Yatzachi Zapotec, and “God loving very much chose” in Central Tarahumara. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

repent, repentance

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The Greek, Ge’ez, Latin and Hebrew that is often translated as “repent” or “repentance” is (back-) translated in various ways (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

  • Western Kanjobal: “think in the soul”
  • Kekchí: “pain in the heart”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “turn the heart”
  • Pedi: “become untwisted”
  • Baoulé: “it hurts to make you quit it” (source for this and above: Nida 1952, p. 137)
  • Balinese: “putting on a new mind”
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be sorry on account of one’s sins”
  • Uab Meto: “turn the heart upside down” (source for this and the two above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Central Mazahua / Chichimeca-Jonaz: “turn back the heart” (source: Nida 1952, p. 40)
  • Suki: biaekwatrudap gjaeraesae: “turn with sorrow” (source: L. and E. Twyman in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 91ff. )
  • Yamba and Bulu: “turn over the heart” (source: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. )
  • Chichewa: kutembenuka mtima (“to be turned around in one’s heart”) (source: Ernst Wendland in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 319ff. )
  • Caribbean Javanese: mertobat (“tired of old life”)
  • Saramaccan: bia libi ko a Massa Gadu (“turn your life to the Lord God”)
  • Sranan Tongo: drai yu libi (“turn your life”) or kenki libi (“change life”)
  • Eastern Maroon Creole: dai yu libi (“turn your life”) (source for this and 3 above: Jabini 2015)
  • Eggon: “bow in the dust” (source: Kilgour, p. 80)
  • Embu: “change heart” (“2 Cor. 7:10 says ‘For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.’ In ordinary speech the terms ‘repent’ and ‘regret’ are used interchangeably in Embu, so that this verse comes out as: ‘godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no repentance,’ which is contradictory. The problem was solved by using ‘changing heart’ in the first, and ‘sadness’ in the second.”) (source: Jan Sterk)
  • Anuak: “liver falls down”
  • Kafa: “return from way of sin to God” (source for this and the one above: Loren Bliese)
  • Latvian: atgriezties (verb) / atgriešanās (noun) (“turn around / return” — see turn around / convert) (source: Katie Roth)
  • Obolo: igwugwu ikom: “turn back (from evil)” (source: Enene Enene)
  • Mairasi: make an end (of wrongdoing) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Luchazi: ku aluluka mutima: “turn in heart” (source: E. Pearson in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 160ff. )
  • Chokwe: kulinkonyeka: “fold back over” or “go back on oneself” (source D.B. Long in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 135ff. ).
  • Muna: dofetompa’ao dhosa bhe dodoli ne Lahata’ala: “radically-end sin and to turn to God” (source: René van den Berg)
  • Bacama: por-njiya: “fetch sand” (“Before the coming of Christianity 100 years ago, when the elders went to pray to the gods, they would take sand and throw it over each shoulder and down their backs while confessing their sins. Covering themselves with sand was a ritual to show that they were sorry for what they had done wrong, sort of like covering oneself with sackcloth and ashes. Now idol worship for the most part is abandoned in Bacama culture, but the Christian church has retained the phrase por-njiya to mean ‘repent, doing something to show sorrow for one’s sins’” — source: David Frank in this blog post .)
  • Enlhet “exchange innermosts.” “Innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind (for other examples see here). (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )
  • San Blas Kuna: “sorry for wrong done in the heart” (source: Claudio and Marvel Iglesias in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 85ff. )
  • Desano: “change your bad deeds for good ones”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “put your hearts and minds on the good road”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “change your thinking about evil and walk in the way of God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “just remember that you have done wicked, in order that you might do good”
  • Coatlán Mixe: “heart-return to God” (source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sierra de Juárez Zapotec: “get on the right road”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “heart becomes soft” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Sabaot: “give one’s neck” — relating to traditional legal proceedings where someone who is convicted of a crime kneels before the aggrieved person who can either behead the accused or completely forgive (source Danny Foster in this recording )
  • Kâte: maŋ bârisiezo or “turn the insides around” (source: Renck 1990, p. 108)
  • Tibetan: ‘gyod tshangs byed (འགྱོད་​ཚངས་​བྱེད།), lit. “regret + pure” (source: gSungrab website )
  • Merina Malagasy: fifonana, deriving from mifona “meaning ‘to completely uproot so that something new can grow’ (a term also used for the loss of a baby tooth)” (source: Brigitte Rabarijaona)

“In Tzotzil two reflexive verbs to communicate the biblical concept of repentance are used. Xca’i jba means to know or to reflect inwardly on one’s self. This self inquiry or self examination is similar to the attitude of the prodigal son where Luke 15:17 records that ‘he came to his senses.’ Broke, starving, and slopping hogs, the prodigal admitted to himself that he was in the wrong place. The second reflexive verb ‘jsutes jba’ means turning away from what one is and turning to something else. In a sense, it is deciding against one’s self and toward someone else. It is similar to the attitude of the prodigal son when he said, ‘I will get up and go to my father’ (Luke 15:18).” (source: Aeilts 2009, p. 118)

See also: convert / conversion / turn back and see Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”

complete verse (Romans 9:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 9:6:

  • Uma: “At this time most of the Jews are not God’s portion. But let’s not say/think like this: ‘If it’s thus, God did not fulfill his promise(s) to the Jews.’ Those words are not true! For it is not every descendant of Israel that God chose to be/become his portion.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am not saying hep that God is not fulfilling his promise to the tribe/nation of Isra’il, but that is what I am saying that not all the descendants of Isra’il hep are truly God’s people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now I’m not saying that God has not carried out his promise to them, but rather what I am saying is that there are some of the descendants of Israel who are not true subjects of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “This that I have said concerning my fellow descendants of Israel who don’t believe in Cristo, does it mean to say that God has not fulfilled what he promised his people? No, because the descendants of Israel, all of them are not the true people of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But now many Jews do not want to believe in Christ. Concerning this word, we cannot say that now it will not happen like word God told the Jews. Because not all the Jews are included in the word God promised. It is not true that all the Jews are God’s people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “But the Jews, even though God gave them all this, now don’t have a good relationship with God (aren’t with God). But let us not think that God’s Word failed to turn out right. Because not all those who were born of Israel are Israel’s people in God’s sight.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (3 John 1:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 3 John 1:10:

  • Uma: “So, when I arrive, I will expose his evil behavior and his talking-behind-our (excl.)-backs. It’s not just that which he has done. More than that, when our relatives who carry the Good News stop-in at your (pl.) village, he refuses to receive them. And he also forbids those who want to receive them [to do so], and he doesn’t allow them to enter the church-service.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore when I come there, I will expose all his doings, his slanderous talk about us (excl.) and his lies. But he is not yet satisfied with those his doings. He still adds to them. It is said that he also does not accept/receive our (dual) brothers who trust in Isa Almasi when they arrive there, and he opposes those who want to treat them according to custom, it is said, and he sends them away/expels them from the langgal (prayer house: also understood as the congregation).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When I come there, I will tell you all about all the evil that he does, for his evil words are about us are not true. And not only that, he will not care for our (incl.) fellow believers when they arrive. And he also will not allow his fellow believers there to care for them. Those who do, by contrast, care for them, he will not allow them to attend your worship.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So-then, when I go there, I will go (not redundant in RL) tell you the bad that he is doing in/by the not true-things that he is accusing us (sing.) of. And it’s not only these-things that he is doing, because neither does he have-come-in (to his house) our brothers who believe who are going to your town and moreover he forbids those who want to have-them-come-in, at-the-same-time making-them -leave the congregation of believers.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore if/when I am able to come there, I will call him to account for all that which he is doing, that he is really slandering us (excl.). And it’s like these deeds of his are not enough for him, but rather he even adds to it by not receiving those who are going teaching concerning Jesus. Far from receiving them he in fact even forbids and removes from their group of believers those who want to receive those arriving there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore when I come there, I will tell you all how it is that he doesn’t rest from telling lies about me. And he does not only do that, he also does not give a resting place to our brethren who arrive there. Anyone who wants to give them a resting place, he doesn’t want them to and he throws them outside from where the believers meet.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Therefore if I come to visit you, while you are met together I will cause him to remember how he is doing contrary to us (ex) by his lying words. And that is not all he is doing. Likewise he does not receive our brethren into his house, and the people who want to receive them into their houses he refuses to let them receive them. And the people who want to receive them, he casts them out from among you who are gathered together worshipping God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “So when I go there I will tell you when you’re gathered together, what Diotrephes does, that he says bad things in regard to me, and not only that, but also he doesn’t welcome (receive, take in) the siblings, the sent ones who come from afar, and he hinders (prohibits) whoever intends to receive them. And he throws out of the church whoever wants to help the sent-ones.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Hence, when I get there I will mention the things he is doing. He goes around saying harsh words against me, and not only that but he doesn’t receive the brethren. And those who want to receive the brethren, he keeps them from doing it and he keeps them from going to meeting.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)